Work on Chandigarh metro to begin in March 2024

According to the RITES, the DPR preparation would cost Rs 6.54 crore, and once it is ready, further approvals would then be taken.

The RITES on Friday gave a presentation of its inception report, in a meeting chaired by Chandigarh Adviser to the Administrator Dharam Pal. (Representative/ Express file photo by Amit Chakravarty)

Listen to this article

00:00

1x 1.5x 1.8x

Taking a step further to make Metro a reality in the Tricity, the Rail India Technical and Economic Services (RITES) on Friday said that the work would begin in March in the upcoming year as the alternative analysis report (AAR) and detailed project report (DPR) will be completed by December.

The RITES on Friday gave a presentation of its inception report, in a meeting chaired by Chandigarh Adviser to the Administrator Dharam Pal. An inception report is a means of ensuring mutual understanding of the consultant’s plan of action and timeline for conducting the evaluation. The meeting was also attended by Punjab and Haryana officers.

“The AAR and DPR will be ready by December this year and work on the project will begin in March next year,” the RITES said, in the meeting. “Once the reports are there, we will be moving them to the government for approval. And we are hoping that the work on Metro will begin in March next year,” a senior officer of the Chandigarh administration said.

Earlier, the officials were expecting that the DPR and AAR were to be ready by March. However, the agency has been asked to wrap it up by end of this year so that work can begin soon.

During the meeting, certain other alternatives were also discussed with the purpose of covering the major destinations in the Tricity with the quest to identify the optimal mode of public transportation for major travel corridors identified within the Comprehensive Mobility Plan (CMP).

The agency was also asked to prepare the feasibility of cost-benefit systems like Metrolite, Metro Neo systems as the most viable modes of public transport. The report comprehensively assessed several crucial aspects, including ridership, alignment, station planning, multi-modal integration, cost implications, economic viability, financial sustainability, environmental impacts, fare box and non-fare box revenue streams, disaster preparedness, cybersecurity, and an implementation mechanism for the Tricity.

According to the RITES, the DPR preparation would cost Rs 6.54 crore, and once it is ready, further approvals would then be taken.

Story continues below this ad

As far as the funding of entire project is concerned, it was decided that 20 per cent of it would be paid by the states, 20 per cent by the Centre and remaining 60 per cent by the lending agency. The tentative cost of the Metro project is around 10,570 crore.

RITES has already presented the guidelines, procedure, policies for planning the Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) in lines with the Metro Rail Policy that have been issued by Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) before Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh.

What all will be covered by the Metro?

According to the new plan, of the 77 km of the network that would be constructed in the Phase-I, 35 km area of Chandigarh, 11 km stretch of Panchkula, and 31 km from Mohali/New Chandigarh would be covered.

The first phase will be developed from 2027 to 2037. Earlier, a distance of 66 km was to be covered in Phase -I

Hina Rohtaki

Hina Rohtaki is a Special Correspondent at The Indian Express, based in Chandigarh. She is one of the most prominent journalists covering the Chandigarh Administration, civic issues, and the unique political status of the Union Territory. Professional Background Experience: She has been in the field for over a decade and is known for her investigative reporting on administrative waste and urban governance. Awards: She is a recipient of the prestigious Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award, which was presented to her by the President of India in January 2020. She was also awarded the Jethmalani prize (The Will of Steel Awards) in 2025 in the Empowerment category for a series of articles that highlighted the struggles of Covid widows. Core Beat: Her primary focus is the Chandigarh administrative structure, the Union Territory's financial management, and urban development projects. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Her recent work highlights a focus on government accountability, administrative expenditures, and civic trends: 1. Investigative & Financial Reporting "Fuelling power: Senior UT IAS officers guzzled petrol worth Rs 30 lakh in 2 yrs" (Dec 14, 2025): An investigative report detailing the high fuel bills of top bureaucrats, including the Finance Secretary and Chief Secretary’s staff. "Admn spends Rs 1.5 crore on dismantling road railings and fixing again after increasing height" (Dec 8, 2025): Highlighting administrative waste on "non-viable" solutions for pedestrian control. "Chandigarh’s finances under ministry’s watch now" (Nov 27, 2025): Reporting on the new requirement for MHA approval for all new projects in the UT. 2. Governance & Constitutional Status "What will it mean for Chandigarh if it is brought under Article 240?" (Nov 24, 2025): An "Explained" piece on the potential constitutional shift that would grant the President more power over the UT's governance. "MP Manish Tewari moves Bill seeking directly elected Mayor with 5-year tenure" (Dec 6, 2025): Covering the legislative push to reform Chandigarh's municipal leadership structure. "No proposal to increase Mayor's term in Chandigarh by 5 years: Centre" (Dec 10, 2025): Reporting on the Union government's response to demands for a longer mayoral term. 3. Urban Infrastructure & Environment "Chandigarh admn cuts power to India's tallest air purifier, asks firm to dismantle it" (Nov 17, 2025): A critical report on the failure of a high-cost environmental project deemed "of no use" by experts. "UT rethinks 24/7 water supply project as costs soar" (Nov 26, 2025): Detailing the financial challenges and delays in modernizing the city's water network. "Centre 'obfuscating, covering up' MC's shifting deadlines for clearing Dadu Majra dump" (Dec 12, 2025): Reporting on the ongoing controversy surrounding the city's major waste dump. 4. Lifestyle & Local Trends "Chandigarh turns into a Thar city as women fuel the surge" (Dec 2, 2025): A feature on a unique automotive trend in the city, with a record 600 registrations by women drivers this year. "After fivefold spike in 2023, EV sales struggle to pick pace in Chandigarh" (Dec 2, 2025): Analyzing the slowdown in electric vehicle adoption despite previous surges. Signature Beat Hina is known for her meticulous tracking of RTI (Right to Information) data to expose administrative inefficiency. Her "Ground Zero" reporting on the Dadu Majra garbage dump and her scrutiny of the Chandigarh Smart City projects have made her a key figure in the city’s civil society discourse. X (Twitter): @HinaRohtaki ... Read More

Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram